Notes & Theories + Animal experimentation | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog+animal-experimentation
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Home Office rules on animal welfare in laboratories are too weak | Michelle Thewhttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/oct/14/home-office-rules-animal-welfare-laboratories
The rules may be followed, but undercover investigations by the BUAV expose the reality of life for lab animals<p>The <a href="http://www.buav.org/about-us">BUAV</a> (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) investigates animal suffering in laboratory experiments. There are two separate issues: the extent of suffering, and whether the Home Office rules have been broken. In her recent Guardian article “<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/07/animal-rights-uk-newspapers-buav">‘Shocking’ animal rights expos&eacute;s by newspapers were nothing of the kind</a>”, Fiona Fox appeared to suggest that, if the Home Office rules were followed, it is untrue to say that animals suffered and therefore the experiments must have been justified. That completely misses the point. In reality, if the suffering is significant but Home Office rules have not been broken, the position is more, not less, worrying, since it shows how weak the licensing system is.</p><p>Through its in-depth undercover investigations, the BUAV exposed the reality of life for animals at <a href="http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/">Imperial College London</a> and <a href="http://www.msd-animal-health.co.uk/">MSD Animal Health</a>, as it has done at many other UK laboratories and recently in Germany. Neither Imperial College nor MSD challenged the many specific factual allegations, which are all documented or filmed. The newspaper stories were not “largely untrue”, as Fox alleges – you can be sure that a huge US multinational such as MSD would have sued had they been. Neither establishment sought an injunction to restrain publication.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/oct/14/home-office-rules-animal-welfare-laboratories">Continue reading...</a>ControversiesAnimal experimentationScienceAnimal welfareAnimalsTue, 14 Oct 2014 12:13:36 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/oct/14/home-office-rules-animal-welfare-laboratoriesPhotograph: David Pearson/AlamyThe Home Office admits that the culture of care at Imperial was poor, and the college’s own inquiry was scathing.Photograph: David Pearson/AlamyThe Home Office admits that the culture of care at Imperial was poor, and the college’s own inquiry was scathing.Michelle Thew2014-10-14T12:13:36ZScience Weekly podcast: Ham the astrochimp, and the LHC keeps goinghttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/audio/2011/feb/07/science-weekly-podcast-ham-astrochimp-cern-lhc-green-porno
It's 50 years since the first ape went into space; why the Large Hadron Collider isn't going to shut down for a year as planned; we trick Alok into talking about his first book; and Isabella Rossellini tells us about Green Porno <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/audio/2011/feb/07/science-weekly-podcast-ham-astrochimp-cern-lhc-green-porno">Continue reading...</a>NasaSpaceAnimal experimentationCernPhysicsScienceEnvironmentTechnologyIsabella RosselliniAnimal behaviourReproductionBooksAnimalsBiologyLarge Hadron ColliderMon, 07 Feb 2011 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/audio/2011/feb/07/science-weekly-podcast-ham-astrochimp-cern-lhc-green-pornoNasaHam's 16-minute flight meant he'd beaten Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin into space by 10 weeks. Photograph: NasaPresented by Alok Jha and produced by Andy Duckworth2011-02-07T00:01:00ZScience Weekly podcast: Fossil Ida and the astronauthttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/audio/2009/jun/01/science-weekly-podcast-fossil-ida-tim-peake
<a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/audio/2009/jun/01/science-weekly-podcast-fossil-ida-tim-peake">Continue reading...</a>ScienceFossil IdaFossilsTaxonomyZoologyEvolutionWildlifeAnimalsEnvironmentWorld newsEnergyNuclear powerParticle physicsEnergy researchPhysicsEnergyCaliforniaUS newsGeneticsMedical researchControversiesAnimal experimentationHealthSocietyLife and styleDementiaSpaceInternational Space StationDinosaursPeople in scienceMediaUK newsTechnologySun, 31 May 2009 23:05:00 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/audio/2009/jun/01/science-weekly-podcast-fossil-ida-tim-peakeSam Peach /Atlantic Productions LtdScientists have announced today in New York the discovery of a 47 million year old human ancestor. Discovered in Messel Pit in Germany, the fossil, called Ida, is twenty times older than most fossils that explain human evolution. Photograph: Sam Peach /Atlantic Productions LtdAlok Jha, green technology correspondent2009-05-31T23:05:00ZUS scientists to demonstrate against animal rights extremistshttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2009/mar/31/animal-rights-ucla-protest
Researchers in California are staging a rally in support of animal testing after a spate of attacks by anti-vivisection groups<p>Scientists in California have endured <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/mar/18/animal-rights-attack-ucla-neuroscientist">a wave of attacks from animal rights activists</a> of late.</p><p>Next month, they will be <a href="http://www.ucla-pro-test.org/index.html">demonstrating in defence of their research</a> and are inviting others to give their support. The rally will mirror <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/feb/26/businessofresearch.uk">those held by Pro-Test</a>, an organisation that arose in Oxford after activists targeted the university.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2009/mar/31/animal-rights-ucla-protest">Continue reading...</a>Animal experimentationControversiesAnimal welfareProtestTue, 31 Mar 2009 12:04:57 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2009/mar/31/animal-rights-ucla-protestRobert F. Bukaty/APAnimals are used to develop treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer and Parkinson's. Photograph: Robert F. Bukaty/APAPIan Sample2009-03-31T12:04:57ZAnimal rights activists torch scientist's carhttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2009/mar/18/animal-rights-attack-ucla-neuroscientist
The FBI is investigating a wave of attacks against American researchers, which are getting depressingly personal<p>It can take a long time for the legal system to catch up with criminals. In Britain, seven animal rights activists, thought to be key figures in the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/21/huntingdon-animal-rights">were recently locked up, after waging a six-year campaign</a> against <a href="http://www.huntingdon.com/index.php?currentNumber=0&amp;currentIsExpanded=0">Huntingdon Life Sciences</a>. Their tactics involved hoax bombs and false claims of child abuse.</p><p>On Saturday, anti-vivisectionists targeted David Jentsch, a neuroscientist at the University of California in Los Angeles, by <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0313/p02s01-usgn.html">setting fire to his car outside his house</a>. It's the latest in a wave of attacks against California researchers and despite the FBI investigating, no-one has been arrested.</p><p>We will come for you when you least expect it and do a lot more damanage (sic) than to your property. Where ever you go and what ever you do we'll be watching you as long as you continue to do your disgusting experiments.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2009/mar/18/animal-rights-attack-ucla-neuroscientist">Continue reading...</a>Animal experimentationControversiesUS newsWorld newsFBIAnimal welfareWed, 18 Mar 2009 19:43:51 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2009/mar/18/animal-rights-attack-ucla-neuroscientistGraeme Robertson/GuardianMarmoset monkeys used in animal research are given marshmallows at a testing centre. Photograph: Graeme RobertsonGraeme Robertson/GuardianMarmoset monkeys used in animal research are given marshmallows at a testing centre. Photograph: Graeme RobertsonIan Sample2009-03-18T19:43:51ZAnimal rights groups might do better to campaign where there is significant suffering for questionable benefitshttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/sep/02/simon.festing
<p><a href="http://www.ipsos-mori.com/_assets/publications/pdf/views-on-animal-experimentation-report.pdf">Opinion surveys</a> over the last decade have shown consistently that most people can accept the use of animals in medical research, but this support is conditional. They want to know that animal research is done for serious medical purposes, that animals do not suffer unnecessarily, and that alternatives are fully considered. They are more concerned about monkeys than rodents; they want firm regulation. In short, support depends on why and how animal research is done.</p><p>Is the public interested in the numbers of animals used in research? The antivivisectionists seem to think so. They have just produced an <a href="http://www.frame.org.uk/page.php?pg_id=19">annual worldwide estimate</a> of 115 million animals used in 179 countries. <br />These figures come not from statistical rigour, but through desperately adding in anything they can think of. </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/sep/02/simon.festing">Continue reading...</a>Animal welfareScienceUK newsAnimal experimentationAnimalsTue, 02 Sep 2008 13:59:22 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/sep/02/simon.festingSimon Festing, executive director Research Defence Society2008-09-02T13:59:22ZScience Weekly for June 9: How to Build Your Own Spaceshiphttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2008/jun/09/scienceweeklyforjune9how
Alok Jha speaks to Piers Bizony about the future of personal space travel. Plus, behind the scenes at an animal research lab. A cure for hayfever. And bees doing the waggle dance<p><img src="http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/01/25/virgin3.jpg" /></p><p><br />This week, <strong>Alok Jha</strong> is joined by science writer <strong>Piers Bizony</strong> to talk about the future of personal space travel. They ponder why, forty years after the Apollo missions, and even with near-miraculous advances in technology, it's taken us so long to get private individuals up into space. Piers' new book, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Build-Your-Own-Spaceship/dp/1846271258/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1213020368&amp;sr=1-2">How to Build Your Own Spaceship</a>, is out now.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2008/jun/09/scienceweeklyforjune9how">Continue reading...</a>ScienceSpaceAnimal experimentationAnimalsMon, 09 Jun 2008 13:03:47 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2008/jun/09/scienceweeklyforjune9howBen Green2008-06-09T13:03:47Z